Counting Stars
by UA
Summary: The real story starts with a little girl lost in the woods. My response to the Nine Lives "Find Your G-Spot" June challenge. Think the Princess Bride meets the Walking Dead. Sort of, lol. AU with appearances by multiple characters. Rating subject to change.
1. 0

**Counting Stars**

* * *

 **xx0xx**

* * *

" _Tell me a story."_

" _Know I ain't no good at those."_

" _Please."_

" _You brush your teeth?"_

" _Uh huh."_

" _Say your prayers?"_

" _For Carl and_ everybody _."_

" _Good. Boy needs all the prayers he can get."_

" _Why?"_

" _Thought you wanted a story."_

" _But…"_

" _You listenin' or not?"_

" _Okay, but…"_

" _There was a man…"_

" _Once upon a time?"_

" _This your story or mine?"_

" _Was the man a prince?"_

" _Naw. Just a man."_

" _What did he look like?"_

" _Don't matter."_

" _What was his name?"_

" _That don't matter neither."_

" _Everybody has a name."_

" _That right?"_

" _Uh huh. What was his?"_

" _You pick."_

" _But it's your story."_

" _Got me there, Kid."_

" _Hey!"_

" _What?"_

" _That's_ not _my name."_

" _Wanna hear this story or not?"_

" _Can I name him?"_

" _Who?"_

" _The man."_

" _Fine."_

" _George_ _ **."**_

" _George?"_

" _George."_

" _Alright. George then. George lived alone."_

" _Once upon a time."_

" _You tellin' this story or me?"_

" _Once upon a time, there was a man. His name was George. He was_ very _lonely."_

" _Yeah. Yeah, he was lonely alright. But not for long."_

* * *

 **It's dark when he crosses the Georgia state line, even darker still when he turns on his street, just a few stars twinkling through the low-hanging clouds overhead and one of the neighbor's dogs barking in the distance.**

* * *

" _A puppy?!"_

* * *

 **His old rust bucket's headlights…**

* * *

" _What's a rust bucket?"_

" _The truck the man was driving."_

" _Oh. Why's it called that?"_

"' _Cause it's old."_

" _Was the man old, too?"_

" _You gonna keep askin' questions or let me tell this story?"_

* * *

 **Soon, the old rust bucket's headlights illuminate the mailbox at the end of his driveway, and he sighs. It's crammed full, the little door cracked open, some of its contents even spilling to the ground below, but he's tired. Too tired after a long day on the road to deal with a bunch of junk mail, so he decides to leave it for the morning.**

* * *

" _You tired?"_

" _Nope."_

" _Sure?"_

" _Uh huh. Did he get presents?"_

" _What?"_

" _In the mail?"_

" _You could say that. But he didn't notice them 'til in the morning."_

" _Why_ _ **?"**_

"' _Cause he was tired and he went to bed."_

" _His mama didn't make him take a bath first?"_

" _He didn't have no mama."_

" _Why not?"_

" _He was a grown-up."_

" _Grown-ups have mamas. They're called grandmas."_

" _Not all of 'em."_

" _What happened to his?"_

" _She died. When he was little. Even littler than you."_

" _Poor George."_

" _Naw. George was okay."_

" _But he was lonely."_

" _Not for long, remember?"_

* * *

 **Tired or not, he's up with the sun, opening all of the windows to let the stale air out and staring into his empty cabinets. The inside of his fridge was off-limits. He'd already made that mistake the night before, and he wasn't going to make it again. There were monsters in there.**

* * *

" _Monsters? Is this a scary story? I don't like scary stories."_

" _You wanna go to sleep 'fore I get to the really scary stuff?"_

" _I'm not sleepy."_

" _You sure?"_

" _Uh huh."_

" _Alright then."_

" _Were they mean monsters?"_

" _The meanest kind."_

" _What kind?"_

" _Mold monsters."_

" _Yucky."_

" _Yeah."_

" _Can we skip to the good part?"_

" _The good part?"_

" _When he meets the princess."_

" _Never said there was one."_

" _There's always a princess. Even if there's not a prince."_

" _That right?"_

" _Yeah."_

" _What if I told you…"_

" _Uh huh?"_

" _In this story, there are two princesses."_

" _Two?"_

" _Two."_

" _What were their names?"_

" _Why don't you pick 'em?"_

" _Sophia."_

" _And?"_

" _You pick the other one."_

" _Alright."_

" _Well?"_

" _What?"_

" _What's the other princess's name?"_

" _We're not to that part of the story yet."_

" _But…"_

" _Find out soon enough."_

" _Meanie."_

" _Must not be too mean. Tellin' you this story, ain't I?"_

" _Yeah."_

" _Where were we?"_

" _Princess Sophia."_

" _Right. Yeah. The_ real _story starts with a little girl lost in the woods."_

* * *

 **I know it's kind of weird, lol, but I hope you'll stick with me. We'll get more of the actual story in the next few chapters.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Feedback is love.**


	2. 1

**Counting Stars**

* * *

 **xx1xx**

* * *

 **He settles for some coffee, fixes himself a mug and takes it to the front porch, the wide, worn planks warm beneath his bare feet. Eyeing the wilting plants on the top step in their clay pots, he shakes his head. He'd told Mrs. McLeod they weren't a good idea, not a practical one, at least, with him being gone so much on various jobs, but the arthritic old widow just wouldn't be swayed, and now he's stuck, performing life-saving measures on the pitiful petals every few weeks to avoid hurting her feelings. He adds Miracle-Gro to his ever growing, ever-evolving mental list and drains the last dregs of caffeine, scratching idly at his chest as he takes in the still-slumbering neighborhood.**

* * *

 _"I know a Mrs. McLeod!"_

 _"Don't say."_

* * *

 **The mailbox catches his attention again, and he leaves his mug on the porch railing, heads down the steps.**

 **Weeds poke up through the stones that make up the walkway, stubborn and proud. A bird, round and cheerful, flits from stone to stone ahead of him before finally deciding to take flight, darting to a low-hanging branch nearby and watching him curiously.**

 **He grunts out a laugh. Something so small shouldn't act so suspicious, but he supposes it's no surprise. He's been gone a long time, almost a month this time. Spring was just a faint scent in the air and the days were just beginning to warm last time he traveled this same pathway. Surely, he's a stranger to his feathered friend, and that's not all, it seems.**

 **The house across the street, vacant since the Fords' last, more permanent split, shows signs of new life. The overgrown flower garden that Rosita never seemed to find time for is a vibrant rainbow of color, not tamed exactly, but obviously cared for and appreciated. The shutters wear a fresh coat of paint, and a child's bicycle rests on its side in the tidy yard.**

 **He wonders at this new development as he gathers the various flyers and envelopes into his arms from the mailbox, bends to retrieve the rest. The mirroring clay pots resting on the top step, though, tell him he won't have to wonder long, and so, he takes his mail and goes back inside. He's got that list to work on, after all.**

* * *

 _"That's it?"_

 _"Don't have to sound so unimpressed."_

 _"Where's the princess?"_

 _"Y'ain't payin' attention."_

 _"Am, too."_

 _"Patience, Baby Girl."_

 _"M'not a baby."_

 _"You gonna fuss all night or listen to the story?"_

 _"Fine."_

 _"Where were we?"_

 _"You was skipping to the good part."_

 _"Not so fast. Still some story to tell 'fore then. Don't make that face."_

 _"What face?"_

 _"That one. Look like somebody else I know."_

 _"Who?"_

 _"Never you mind 'bout that. Think you'll like this part, princess or not."_

 _"Fine."_

 _"That it? I'm a good mind to save my breath. Tell this story to somebody more appreciative-like."_

 _"M'sorry."_

 _"What's that?"_

 _"Don't stop. Please."_

 _"Since you askin' so nicely."_

* * *

 **The ride into town isn't far, and it doesn't take him long to stock up on groceries and all the other necessities because he's a man of simple tastes. Before he knows it, he has everything on his list taken care of but for one thing, one** ** _very_** **important thing.**

 **The gateway to the Greene farm stands open when he rounds that final bend in the road, Otis's truck nearby.**

 **He nods at the man himself, drums his fingers on the steering wheel as he lets his vehicle idle and the friendly farm hand approach.**

 **"Good to see you made it back."**

 **"You thinkin' I wouldn't?"**

 **Otis draws his hat down from his head, fumbles his fingers through his graying goatee. His face breaks into an amiable smile as soon as he realizes he's being teased, in George's deadpan way, and he replaces his hat, the sun already high and beaming overhead and the Georgia heat making sweat bead on his brow. Noticing the bags in the floor of the truck, he doesn't waste any more time, directing him onward. "She's up at the main house with the girls. Doc Greene thought she'd benefit from the company. She's missed you something awful."**

 **"Missed her," he admits.**

 **Otis doesn't make a big deal out of the confession. He just nods and slaps his palm against the truck's sun-warmed door. "Best be gettin' on then. Might take you awhile to convince that young-un to part with her."**

 **"Thanks."**

* * *

 _"Does George have a little girl? Is it Princess Sophia?"_

 _"Got a one-track mind, Baby Girl."_

 _"No, I don't."_

 _"Do, too."_

 _"Do not. I didn't even ask…"_

 _"Didn't ask what?"_

 _"Nothin'."_

 _"Ain't nothin'. Know you. Don't give me those eyes. Might as well spit it out."_

 _"Is George's Doc Greene_ our _Doc Greene?"_

 _"Didn't know he was ours, but maybe. Just gonna have to listen and find out for yourself."_

 _"Well…"_

 _"Well, what?"_

 _"I'm waitin'."_

* * *

 **The little one cries when he drives up, fat tears welling in those too-big eyes of hers and her shiny blond ponytail shaking as she hurries inside. Ms. Annette just shakes her head at him and smiles because it doesn't take two seconds after he's opened that creaky-old door before he's got his arms and his lap full.**

 **"That dog knows the sound of your truck."**

 **"Everybody in King County knows the sound of his truck, Annette."**

 **He ducks his head, dodges the most exuberant of the canine's slobbering kisses, but he can't miss them all and he soon gives up trying. "Thanks for lookin' after her."**

 **"You know our Bethie's always been partial to her, has been since the beginning. It wasn't no imposition, Son. You know that. Fact of the matter is, there's been a time or two while you've been gone that I've experienced some regrets."**

 **He doesn't press the man for more because he doesn't have to. He knows exactly what he's referring to. He rears his head back to look into a pair of intelligent brown eyes, and he's sent back to that very first moment, when she was nothing more than a tiny, shivering wet ball of black and white fur abandoned in a road-side ditch. One small whimper toward him and pink swipe of her timid tongue, and he hadn't the heart to leave her behind as others already had. He'd wrapped her up in his flannel over-shirt and turned the heat on high blast, making the old truck sputter and groan all the way to the veterinarian's country-side practice. The little one had been there that day, and she'd fallen in love, straight away. Fate and Doc Greene, though, had had other plans, and it wasn't even a week later that he was puppy-proofing his whole house. That little bit of fluff had made coming home worth it ever since. Still, sometimes he wonders if he's doing right by her, leaving her so often and for so long. Ms. Annette kindly intervenes before he can voice those thoughts.**

 **"Seems to me Tsu made her own choice a long time ago."**

 **Her husband echoes his agreement with a grin. "Reckon you're right. She's been missing you."**

 **"I heard." If he sounds a little happy about that fact, well. He missed her, too. Giving the dog's ears a playful tug, he smirks when she barks at him. He looks down when he feels a soft touch on his arm. It's the older girl, tomboyish and independent where the little one is soft, and she looks up at him with eyes as green as gems.**

 **"Stay for a little bit. Please. Just long enough for Bethie to see that Tsu's happy."**

 **"I'd like to, but I got groceries needin' to be put in the fridge."**

 **Ms. Annette comes to her stepdaughter's aid, closing her hands over the girl's sturdy shoulders and giving them a fond squeeze. "I can put those in our fridge for you, just for a little bit, and you can join us for a bite of lunch."**

 **"When's the last time you had a home-cooked meal, Son?"**

 **His stomach growls before he can formulate a response. It really** ** _has_** **been a while. Gruffly, he agrees, "Alright. Sure you don't mind?"**

 **"Mind? You know you two are always welcome."**

* * *

 _"It_ is _our Doc Greene!"_

 _"What makes you so sure 'bout that?"_

 _"Because he's nice."_

 _"That all you're basin' your assumption on?"_

 _"What's 'ssumption mean?"_

 _"Don't worry 'bout that. How else you know it's the same Doc Greene?"_

 _"He has a Bethie, too. But she's not little."_

 _"Maybe she's not little_ anymore _."_

 _"Maybe he's_ not _our Doc Greene."_

 _"Confusin' you?"_

 _"No."_

 _"Sure?"_

 _"Maybe a little bit."_

 _"You sleepy yet?"_

 _"No."_

 _"Could swallow whole watermelons with that yawn."_

 _"M'not yawnin'."_

 _"Sure 'bout that, Baby Girl?"_

 _"Don't stop the story. George still hasn't seen his presents or met the princess yet."_

 _"You callin' my story borin'? Done told you…"_

 _"Pretty please with a cherry on top?"_

 _"And chocolate sauce?"_

 _"Lots."_

 _"Alright. Don't want you bein' disappointed though. Presents ain't always what you think they are."_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"Just listen and let me tell my story."_

 ** _"_** _'kay_ ** _."_**

 _"Sure you ain't sleepy?"_

 _"Real sure."_

 _"Real real sure?"_

 _"Real real real."_

 _"Alright."_

 _"Finally."_

* * *

 **He forgets about the mail until he's back home, groceries packed away and Tsu lazing around on the couch like she never left it, tuckered out from a sun-drenched afternoon filled with games of tag on the Greene farm. He sits at the table and sorts it into piles, and sure enough, most of it's junk. Some of it's not, though, and he takes care of the bills first. He hesitates over the envelope from West Georgia Correctional Facility, but in the end, he chooses to let it wait. It's been a long first day back already, and he's not sure he's physically or emotionally ready to deal with picking out the truth between the lines of his brother's words. Soon, he comes to the bottom of the pile and he frowns. It seems Stookey has struck again, the proof right there in front of him and addressed to one Mrs. Carol Peletier, apparently the proud new owner of Sergeant Ford's old place.**

* * *

 _"What's a 'rectional cility?"_

 _"It's a place where…know what? It ain't important."_

 _"But what is it? What do people do there?"_

 _"They learn to be good again."_

 _"Were they bad before?"_

 _"Some of 'em. Some of 'em just got lost."_

 _"Like that time Gabby got lost and we found her up in a tree?"_

 _"Not exactly."_

 _"How then?"_

 _"That's a conversation for another time, Baby Girl."_

 _"I'm not a baby."_

 _"Not a big girl either. Not yet."_

 _"Yes, I am."_

 _"No. You're in between. Ain't nothin' wrong with that. You'll grow up soon 'nough."_

 _"How soon?"_

 _"Too soon."_

 _"How soon is too soon?"_

 _"Blink of an eye. 'Fore you know it, you won't want me tellin' you stories no more."_

 _"That ain't true."_

 _"Why?"_

 _"Just ain't."_

 _"Tuck your toes in, Baby Girl."_

 _"M'snug as a bug in a rug."_

 _"That so?"_

 _"Uh huh."_

 _"Good. Just a little bit more and that's it for tonight. We'll save the rest of the story for later."_

 ** _"_** _M'kay_ ** _."_**

 _"Sleepy, ain't you?"_

 _"Don't wanna be."_

 _"Know. You'll have sweet dreams. I'll make sure of it."_

 _"Promise?"_

 _"Promise."_

* * *

 **The sun is setting before he finally works up the nerve to walk over there. The crickets are out in full force, and that quiet little girl from three doors down is chasing after lightning bugs with her dad, mason jars in hand. He can't remember her name. It's short and foreign-sounding, and he wonders if the family are travelers, must be with a name like that, but it's a fleeting thought because it doesn't take long at all to walk up those three wide steps. He clenches the envelope between his sweaty palms and swallows. He doesn't have a chance to knock on the door before it is pulled open and another little girl and a woman spill through it, nearly plowing into him. There's a blanket tucked beneath the woman's arm and a melting popsicle in the child's hands, and they look just as startled or more so than he feels, and it takes a few moments before any of them rediscover the power of speech. The little girl reaches for the woman's free hand, and that seems to do the trick.**

 **"I'm sorry. You are?"**

 **"M'your neighbor," he offers.**

 **"My neighbor?** ** _Oh_** **. You think I'm Carol."**

 **"You're not?"**

 **A small voice butts in then, soft and shy and apologetic all at once. "Aunt Andrea. You promised."**

 **The woman stoops to the little girl's level, hands over the blanket with a reassuring smile. "Why don't you pick us out a good spot for counting while I talk to the nice man, okay? I'll be right there."**

 **They both turn to watch the little girl scamper across the yard and arrange the blanket just so. He smirks a little when he sees her lick a trail up her arm, the popsicle fast dwindling in her hand and painting her skin in cherry stickiness. His amusement fast fades when he catches the woman watching him with hawkish blue-green eyes, her mouth curling at the corners. Feeling uncomfortable under her scrutiny, he glances away for a brief moment, shoves the envelope into her hands. "Postman left Mrs. Peletier's mail in my box by mistake."**

 **"Thank you for bringing it by."**

 **"Ain't nothin'."**

 **She laughs a little, the sound not unkind. She crosses her arms across her chest and considers him.**

 **He doesn't miss those eyes of hers glance downward at his left hand. He can feel the usual heat of embarrassment creep along his skin in response, and he burrows his hands deep in his pockets, nods his head. "Just wanted to make sure she got her mail. I'll just…over there." Her voice stops him before he can fully turn around.**

 **"You're the man with the dog."**

 **"Lots of people in this neighborhood with dogs," he answers. He's not sure why, though. It's just prolonging this whole uncomfortable encounter and he wants nothing more than to escape to his own little piece of peace, close that door behind him. The woman has other ideas. She just keeps talking.**

 **"But your dog is no ordinary dog."**

 **Another woman steps outside, and the two link hands. Her eyes are just as deep and warm as the color of her skin, and her smile bright as she regards him. "Definitely not an ordinary dog. Not according to Sophia."**

 **"She does tricks. I saw her, Aunt 'Chonne."**

 **He looks down, surprised to find the little girl at his side and staring up at him in something akin to secondhand wonder. There are freckles on her pale skin, all across her cheeks and her button nose. She's small and she's delicate, and he's sure she'd weigh next to nothing in his arms. It's a strange thought, one that finally spurs him into action. "Not tricks. She just listens. Make sure your mama gets her mail, 'kay?"**

 **"Yes, Sir," the little girl solemnly promises.**

 **It takes less time for him to cross the distance this time, but his escape still isn't quick enough.**

 **"She's not married! In case you're curious about her.** ** _Carol_** **."**

 **"Andrea!"**

* * *

 _"Sleep, Baby Girl. There'll be more tomorrow."_

* * *

 **Feedback is love. I love reading your thoughts.**

 **Thanks so much for reading!**


	3. 2

**Counting Stars**

* * *

 **xx2xx**

* * *

" _If it ain't Sleepin' Beauty."_

 _"Stop."_

 _"Stop what?"_

 _"Teasin'."_

 _"That what I'm doin'?"_

 _"Uh huh."_

 _"Ain't teasin' if it's the truth."_

 _"…"_

 _"Got you there, didn't I?"_

 _"What you doin'?"_

 _"Nothin'."_

 _"Don't look like nothin'."_

 _"What's it look like?"_

 _"Dunno."_

 _"Well. Ain't doin' nothin'_ rightnow _. How 'bout you? Wanna do nothin' with me?"_

 _"Uh huh."_

 _"Pretty out here. See them birds? They been building a nest. Been at it all mornin'."_

 _"Really?"_

 _"Really."_

 _"Never did finish our story."_

 _"That's 'cause_ somebody _fell asleep 'fore we ever left the park last night."_

 _"Baseball's borin'."_

 _"'Bout hide-n-seek?"_

 _"S'alright."_

 _"Must not have been too alright. Judith said you passed out silly."_

 _"Did not."_

 _"Did too. Tyreese toted you off that playground like you was a ragdoll. Judith, too."_

 _"I like Mr. 'Reese."_

 _"He's good people."_

 _"What about George? He good people, too?"_

 _"Ain't gonna let that go, are you?"_

 _"Nope."_

 _"Didn't figure you would. Alright. Can't be at it long, though."_

 ** _"_** _Aww_ ** _."_**

 _"Don't_ aww _me. Already behind on your chores."_

 _"But I'm little."_

 _"So? Don't matter none."_

 _"But you said…"_

 _"Naw. Can't have it both ways."_

 ** _"_** _Alright_ ** _."_**

 _"What's that?"_

 _"Yes, Sir."_

 _"Better. Ready to hear a little more of the story now?"_

 _"Uh huh."_

 _"Where were we, Baby Girl?"_

 _"George just met Princess Sophia and her two aunts."_

* * *

 **He doesn't see the little girl again for a while after that, just glimpses here and there as he passes by his window in the afternoons.**

* * *

 _"Why not?"_

 _"Was gettin' there._ Somebody _didn't give me 'nough time."_

 _"M'sorry."_

 _"Reckon I'll let it go this time."_

* * *

 **He takes another job, one closer to home this time.**

 **Woodbury's just one town over and quaint, like something ripped out of school history books, its people nice if a little sheltered from real world problems, and it's no wonder, judging by the way the big wig of the place lives. The Blake house is impressive,** ** _sprawling_** **. It's a veritable palace in the middle of small-town Georgia.**

 **He almost turns around that first morning and takes Tsu home, but T intervenes and changes his mind. As luck would have it, the decision turns out to be a good one. Their small crew is about two hours into making T's blueprints a reality, the sun creeping higher and higher into the clear blue sky, when Mr. Blake himself makes an unplanned appearance. Tsu leaves the shade of a nearby tree and hovers protectively close.**

* * *

 _"What happened? Was Mr. Blake a bad man? Did Sue have to bite him?"_

 _"Tsu."_

 _"S'what I said."_

 _"No, you didn't. There's that look again."_

 _"But I said…"_

 _"T. S. U."_

 ** _"_** _Huh_ ** _?"_**

 _"Just close that pretty mouth of yours and keep listenin'."_

* * *

 **"These are not the plans I had Milton fax to your office, Mr. Douglas. These are…I don't even know what these are."**

 **They've gone over this several times now, and throughout the whole tiresome mini-tirade, T remains silent and deferential.**

 **That's more than Tsu can say because the dog whines and pushes her nose against his palm, pressing further into his side as Mr. Blake shakes the sheath of papers in his fist. She shifts on her feet when a few loose sheets flutter to the grass below, frets until he snags his fingers in her collar and gives it a tiny pull.**

 **"Tsu," he admonishes, and clearly that's the wrong move. Instantly, he finds all of Blake's attention focused on him and his anxious canine companion and he vaguely hears T telling Oscar and Morales to take ten.**

 **"What is that animal doing here, Mr. Douglas? This is not** ** _bring_** ** _your_** ** _pet_** ** _to_** ** _work_** **day."**

 **He steps in before T can answer. "S'my fault. I can load her up. Take her back home. Be back here in less than an hour."**

 **"Better yet," Blake sneers, "you can all pack up your tools and make the trip home together."**

* * *

 _"This part is boring."_

 _"More borin' than baseball?"_

 _"One million jillion times more."_

 _"Don't you wanna know if Tsu bit Mr. Blake?"_

 _"She didn't."_

 _"So sure 'bout that?"_

 _"Yeah. She listens."_

 _"She_ does _."_

 _"Can't we just skip to the Princess Sophia parts?"_

 _"We_ could _."_

 _"Good."_

 _"But I won't."_

 _"Ugh."_

 _"Ugh."_

 _"Stop."_

 _"Stop."_

 _"You're mean. Mr. Blake's mean. I don't like this part of the story."_

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"Lied before."_

 _"Lyin's bad."_

 _"Know."_

 _"More than two princesses in this story."_

 _"There are?"_

 _"Knew that'd get your attention."_

 _"You're still mean."_

 _"M'terrible."_

 _"You_ are _."_

 _"You say so, Baby Girl."_

* * *

 **Cooler heads eventually prevail and they settle their differences. The crew stays put and gets back to work while Mr. Blake watches Tsu with eagle eyes.**

 **All that said, it's easy work, simple in the scheme of things, and he's able to tune the rest of the world out for a bit. He lets his mind wander, and that's mostly a good thing—until it's not. Suddenly, there's a little girl screaming and Tsu tears from his side.**

 **The dog's already in the pool and paddling furiously toward the deep end before the rest of them arrive on the scene.**

* * *

 _"What happened?"_

 _"Thought you said…"_

 _"Didn't mean it."_

 ** _"_** Did ** _."_**

 _"Not no more. Please tell me."_

 _"Thinkin' it's time for you to catch up on them chores."_

 _"No. Pretty please?"_

 _"Alright. Just pullin' your leg, Baby Girl."_

* * *

 **He jumps in after them, doesn't even hesitate. Blake's there to take his daughter from his arms soon as he reaches the pool's edge and Tsu is panting in his ear, her nails scrabbling for purchase before Oscar grabs her by the collar and first hauls her clear of the water, then him. Someone throws a towel across his shoulders, he's not sure who, and he holds it loosely with numb fingers, the adrenaline rush of it all quickly wearing off.**

 **"Good job, Tsunami. You too, Man."**

 **He snorts and meets Blake's eyes across the way, nods when he mouths his thanks. "Ain't nothin'."**

 **"It's somethin' alright."**

* * *

 _"George saved that little girl?"_

 _"Naw. Tsu did."_

 _"I think they both did."_

 _"Sounds 'bout right."_

 _"This part's not boring."_

 _"S'not?"_

 _"No. What's her name?"_

 _"Who?"_

 _"The new princess?"_

 _"Penny. Her name was Penny."_

 _"Was?"_

 _"Meant_ is _."_

 _"I like Tsu's real name."_

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"Uh huh."_

 _"Me, too."_

 _"Just a little more of the story? Please? I miss Princess Sophia."_

 _"Just a little bit. Then you really do have to catch up…"_

 _"Know."_

 _"Just a little bit."_

* * *

 **When he gets home that night, there's a piece of yellow construction paper peeking out from underneath his door and he looks around, both directions, before he bends to retrieve it. It's a birthday invitation, written in a child's painstaking scrawl, and he smirks and shakes his head because there's no way this one can be written off as a mistake. Carl Grimes knows exactly who lives here, and even if he didn't, his mama and daddy can certainly claim no such ignorance. He glances over his shoulder to find the Peletier house dark, nothing but the solar lights and the stars lighting the place, and he carefully folds the paper in his hand with a sigh. Tsu noses his free hand and he reaches down to scratch absently between her ears. "Looks like we're taking a trip to Miss Sophia's house."**

 **The dog's tail thumps tiredly against the porch and she whines.**

 **"Yeah. Glad** ** _somebody's_** **excited. C'mon. It's been a long one, and I don't know 'bout you. But that couch is callin' my name."**

 **Tsu hesitates and looks longingly across the way.**

 **He groans and wags a scolding finger at his four-legged friend. "You don't even know 'er. Don't give me that pitiful look. Tomorrow. Not a moment sooner, hear me? Now git. Git inside 'fore I change my mind 'bout that nice hero's dinner you deserve and feed you last night's leftovers instead."**

 **This time, Tsu does exactly as she's told, scurrying through the door before it's all the way opened and taking her customary position on the couch.**

 **"Spoilt is what you are. Spoilt rotten."**

* * *

 _"I love Tsu."_

 _"You would've."_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"Said sure you would."_

 _"I wanna hear about their visit to Princess Sophia's house."_

 _"Know you do, but that's a story for another time."_

 _"Tonight?"_

 _"Maybe. Know we got plans."_

 _"I don't want you to go. I want you to stay."_

 _"Don't always get what you want, Baby Girl."_

 ** _"_** _But_ ** _…"_**

 _"Now quit your poutin' and get to work. If y'all are good for Tara, we'll see."_

 _"What if I fall asleep?"_

 _"Then you fall asleep."_

 _"No fair."_

 _"S'always tomorrow. Now git along with you before_ I _change_ my _mind and don't you be callin' me no names. S'not the polite thing to do."_

 _"I'm bein' good and I'm stayin' up all night."_

 _"We'll see 'bout_ that _."_

 _"Real story still ain't started."_

 _"Patience, Baby Girl. Been told it's a virtue or somethin' like that."_

 _"Don't even know what a verjew is."_

* * *

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **Feedback is love and is always appreciated. Always.**

 **Hope you're still enjoying this oddball little story of mine. We should start to get into the more Sophia-Carol centered stuff next chapter (unless my brain takes another detour like it did this chapter, lol), so stay tuned.**


	4. 3

**Counting Stars**

* * *

 **xx3xx**

* * *

 **He spends the next three days, sun up to sun down, working at the Blake place. Along with T and the rest of the guys, he builds a deck fit for royalty while Tsu takes to following that little girl around like it's her job.**

 **The invitation is cast aside and forgotten until the end of the week.**

 **That's when Mrs. McLeod pays them a long, overdue visit and she brings along a surprise visitor.**

* * *

 _"Who is it?"_

 _"Ain't tellin'."_

 _"Please?"_

 _"Naw."_

 _"Why?"_

 _"Know the deal, Baby Girl. Talked 'bout it earlier."_

 _"But…"_

 _"No more_ but's _. Tara'll be here any minute. Said somethin' 'bout a surprise of her own."_

 _"A surprise? What kind of…"_

 _"Patience really ain't your strong suit, is it?"_

 _"S'not funny."_

 _"Little funny."_

 _"You look_ real _nice."_

 _"And your nose is lookin' mighty brown."_

 _"Stop laughin'."_

 _"Just teasin'. Don't mean nothin' by it. Say I'm sorry, will you forgive me?"_

 _"Guess."_

 _"You guess? You sayin' you won't?"_

 _"Know I will."_

 _"That I do. Know I love you?"_

 _"Bigger than the stars in the sky."_

 _"Way bigger. Never be able to count 'nough 'cause there's too many. Go on forever."_

 _"And ever."_

 _"Gonna be good? Help Tara keep everybody in line?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"That's my girl."_

* * *

 **He never has to say much when Mrs. McLeod visits, although he knows the elderly woman loves to glean every bit of gossip that she can out of many an unwitting victim. No, he just listens. He's good at that, and it seems like that little girl across the street, Sophia? She's good at listening, too.**

* * *

 _"Don't stop. M'awake. Promise."_

 _"That what you are? Awake? Looks to me like you're studyin' the back of your eyelids."_

 _"M'not."_

 _"Don't be frettin' none, Baby Girl. Know Tara done tuckered y'all out. Rest. Ain't goin' nowhere, and in the mornin'…"_

 _"M'kay."_

 _"Sweet dreams."_

* * *

 **She studies him with curious eyes, and he studies her right back, a slight curl to his lips, his fingers twitching against Tsu's head where it rests against his leg.**

 **Mrs. McLeod, meanwhile, keeps doing her thing, prattling on about this and that between sips of lemonade. Apparently, the Peletiers aren't the only newcomers to the community. A rather peculiar man has recently moved in next door to her, and rumor has it, he's to work at the high school come Fall and teach science. His odd proclivities, according to her, are head-scratching. "But he seems harmless enough."**

 **That's all he hears because he zones out shortly thereafter, his eyes still watching the little girl, polite in his presence and exceedingly cautious. Her careful demeanor strikes an uncomfortably familiar chord with him, one that takes him back years and years. He's so lost in the past, in fact, that he doesn't realize Mrs. McLeod has addressed him directly until she fixes him with that narrow-eyed stare of hers, and he clears his throat, offers an apology. "I'm sorry. I..." He sighs and rubs a tired hand over his face, absently fingers the whiskers on his chin that he hasn't bothered yet to shave. "It's been a long week."**

 **"Sophia, Child. Why don't you take Tsu outside for some sunshine? I'm sure she'd appreciate it."**

 **Hearing her name, the dog perks up, stretching and hopping from her comfy perch. She's already waiting by the door before the little girl has had a chance to climb to her feet, and she pushes her nose against the shiny knob.**

 **"Don't go far."**

 **"Know Tsu ain't lettin' her out of her sight." Nevertheless, he's up and looking out the window, watching as his canine companion herds Sophia toward the center of the yard, perfectly within his line of sight.**

 **"Yes, well. You can never be too careful, can you? Sit, Boy. Speak."**

 **A rare grin touches his lips at her instruction and he grabs one of the cookies from the tray she'd held when she arrived, lifts it to his mouth. "Ain't denyin' Tsu's family. Last I checked, though, I was still a man."**

 **The old woman's mouth twitches with the hint of a reluctant smile, and she pushes herself to her feet, groaning softly as she does. One hand strays absently to her aching hip, and the other raises so she can wag her finger at him. "Don't be smart with me. I'm your elder."**

 **His own smile softens. "Ain't that old."**

 **"Tell that to my bones," she mutters as she joins him at the window, and they watch as Tsu flops to the ground and the girl, tiny and just as timid as you please, works her skinny arm around the dog's neck then rests her freckled cheek in the its speckled fur.**

 **The sight tugs unexpectedly at his heart, and he blurts a question he hasn't realized he wanted an answer to. He's seen the girl around plenty of times, one or both of those two women from that first night, too. In all this time, though? He's yet to lay eyes on one very important person. "Where's her mama?"**

* * *

 **"** _Well?"_

 _"Well, what?"_

 _"Where_ is _she?"_

 _"Who?"_

 _"Princess Sophia's mama? She ain't in Heaven is she? 'Cause that would be sad. I don't like sad stories neither."_

 _"Ain't you been payin' attention?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"Well, she ain't in Heaven if it makes you feel better."_

 _"_ Does _. Unless…"_

 _"'Less what?"_

 _"Unless she's in the bad place. She's not in the bad place, is she? Poor Princess Sophia."_

 _"Hold your horses, Baby Girl. Take you a drink of that orange juice and calm down. Princess Sophia's mama is just fine."_

 _"You promise?"_

 _"Promise."_

 _"Thank goodness."_

 _"Bein' sad's a part of life, though. You take the good and the bad and you're thankful for it all."_

 _"All of it?"_

 _"All of it. It's the bad stuff makes the good stuff sweeter."_

 _"Like bacon makes yucky eggs better?"_

 _"Eggs ain't yucky."_

 _"Don't want mine."_

 _"Give 'em here and help clear the dishes."_

 _"But I want to hear more of the story."_

 _"Dishes first."_

 _"Yes, Sir."_

 _"Good girl."_

* * *

 **He forgets the invitation. His mind is too full, too distracted by all he's learned by the time Tsu and Sophia have worn themselves out and Mrs. McLeod decides their visit has come to an end. That's when he gets a call.**

 **It's the West Georgia Correctional Facility.**

* * *

" _Time for that 'sation yet?"_

 _"Not yet. Looks like rain."_

 _"You look sad. You sad?"_

 _"Just rememberin'."_

 _"Want me to kiss it better?"_

 _"Ain't that kind of sad, Baby Girl."_

 _"What kind of sad is it?"_

 _"Hard to explain. Know what? I_ could _use a few kisses. How 'bout right here?"_

 _"Other cheek, too?"_

 _"Other cheek, too."_

 _"Mwah."_

 _"Reckon the project can wait til the rain passes."_

 _"More story?"_

 _"More story."_

* * *

 **The moon is high and bright in the sky that night as he sits on his porch steps, an unlit cigarette held loosely between his fingers. Tsu's off chasing a rabbit somewhere, and from the sounds of it, so are the rest of the neighborhood dogs. He's not too worried. She always comes back with nothing to show for it but a lolling pink tongue and a wagging tail. He's got other things to worry about, other things that threaten to consume him, at least until he sees the little sedan approaching. Somehow, he just knows. Before it's even making that right turn, he's up on his feet, screen door banging shut behind him. When he returns, he's holding that piece of construction paper between both hands and the cigarette's gone.**

 **She's nothing more than a slender outline in the shadows, her arms burdened with bags and her hair curling against her neck from where it slips from her loose ponytail. Though his steps make little noise, she whirls to face him, her laugh thin and startled before her face then her posture relaxes. "The man with the dog."**

 **"Got a name, you know."**

 **"Try telling that to my daughter. I'm afraid all she remembers is your dog."**

 **Her laugh this time is more genuine and holds a note of gentle apology, and he finds himself doing something quite unusual, at least in the female presence. The corner of his mouth curls, and he laughs** ** _with_** **her. "Tsu's like that. Makes a lastin' impression."**

 **"Definitely." She juggles the bags she's holding for a few seconds, then offers up a small, pale hand. "My name's Carol."**

 **"The man with the dog."**

 **Her eyes glow at him and she shakes her head, her teeth gleaming white in the darkness.**

 **Their hands brush as he takes her hand and offers her the forgotten invitation, and he sucks in a sharp breath. His voice, when he finds it again, comes out in a soft, gravel-laced rumble. "Believe this belongs to your girl."**

* * *

" _I like this story."_

 _"Like it pretty good myself."_

* * *

 **Thanks so much for reading and all the sweet feedback. It only makes me want to write more and faster.**

 **I'm having so much fun writing this story. I can only hope you're having half as much fun reading it.**

 **Thanks again for reading!**

 **Feedback is love and gives this writer life.**


	5. 4

**Counting Stars**

* * *

 **xx4xx**

* * *

 _"Still rainin'."_

 _"Don't say."_

 _"There you go."_

 _"What you talkin' 'bout?"_

 _"Teasin' again."_

 _"Too smart for your own good. Know that? Why the long face?"_

 _"Dunno."_

 _"Now_ that _I ain't buyin'. C'mere. Talk to me, Baby Girl."_

 _"Don't want to."_

 _"You sick?"_

 _"No."_

 _"What is it then?"_

 _"Told you. Don't know."_

 _"Sad?"_

 _"Maybe."_

 _"Maybe? Lemme see those baby blues. C'mon. Look at me."_

 _"Do I hafta?"_

 _"Don't hafta do nothin'. Sure be nice, though, if you did. Know I just wanna help."_

 _"Can't."_

 _"How you figure? Don't know 'til you let me try."_

 _"Just can't."_

 _"Spit it out and we'll see. On the count of 3. 1…2.."_

 _"I miss Mama!"_

 _"…"_

 _"Told you."_

 _"That what's botherin' you?"_

 _"Uh huh."_

 _"Ain't hurtin' my feelings none, you tellin' me. Miss her, too."_

 _"You do?"_

 _"'Course, I do. Tell you what. Why don't you go 'round up Squirrel and Gabby? Think I might know a way of cheerin' you up."_

 _"How?"_

 _"Just wait and see. Ain't sayin' it'll be the same as havin' her here but it can't hurt."_

 _"I don't understand."_

 _"You will."_

* * *

 _"Thanks, Tara. Sure this thing is idiot-proof?"_

 _"Well. I wouldn't say 100%. But mostly. Yeah."_

 _"How's it work again?"_

 _"See that button with the phone on it? Press that."_

 _"Alright. Now what?"_

 _"Just scroll through my contacts 'til you find her. Then tap your finger on the screen where it says FaceTime."_

 _"Farm cutie? The hell?"_

 _"That's, uh, that's Glenn's nickname for Maggie."_

 _"..."_

 _Okay. It's not really. It's mine. Here. Just give it to me. I'll find it for you."_

 _"S'alright. Think I found her."_

 _"Really. I don't mind…"_

 _"Red Hot Mama?"_

 _"Alright. You found her."_

 _"Me and you need to have a little talk?"_

 _"You wanna make this a hundred times more awkward? Yeah. Sure. Otherwise? No."_

 _"Gonna go with_ no _."_

 _"Knew there was a reason I liked you."_

 _"Yeah, well. Gonna give you 'nother reason to."_

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"Might wanna come up with something a l'il nicer than Cute Disobedient Little Shit's Mama for Lori."_

 _"What about Cute Little Shit's Mama? That's more flattering. CDLSM just doesn't roll off of the tongue."_

 _"Y'ain't right."_

 _"Never said I was. No false advertising here. Take good care of your kids, though, don't I?"_

 _"Get on outta here."_

 _"You're not fooling me, Mr. Dixon. You just want a few minutes alone with Mrs. Dixon. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."_

 _"That don't eliminate much."_

* * *

 _"Still missing Mama, Baby Girl?"_

 _"Uh huh."_

 _"Me, too. Good you got to talk to her, though."_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"Was real good. Know she's comin' home soon, right? Soon as she can."_

 _"She_ is _?"_

 _"She is. Ms. Irma…she's in a bad way. And your mama? Well, Ms. Irma and Mr. Dale was good to her."_

 _"Like Doc Greene was to you?"_

 _"Yeah. Yeah. Like that, my smart girl."_

 _"M'glad."_

 _"Me, too."_

 _"Sad 'bout Ms. Irma, though."_

 _"You and me both."_

 _"She needs a card."_

 _"Know it'll make her smile."_

 _"I'm gonna make her one."_

 _"Sure it'll be real pretty. Can do it first thing tomorrow. Wanna hear more of the story 'fore you shut those pretty eyes?"_

 _"Uh huh."_

 _"Just a little bit, though. S'late. Know who else might 'preciate it?"_

 _"Squirrel?"_

 _"Yeah. You ain't the only one missin' Mama."_

 _"I know."_

 _"What say me and you go wake him up? Pile into that big ole King sized bed in me and Mama's room?"_

 _"Can Gabby come, too?"_

 _"Gabby can come, too. Been awful lonely in there these last couple weeks."_

 _"Feels like forever and ever."_

 _"Does."_

 _"C'mon then. Hold on tight."_

* * *

 **He's still smiling when he leaves her, reclaiming his spot at the top of his porch steps. It's a helpless thing and yet he's reluctant to let go of the feeling. So he doesn't. As foreign as it is, he embraces it and looks to the stars, so numerous and bright. He finds himself counting them, as he'd heard the little girl do herself that first night. He loses himself and his fears for a while in their vast beauty. The crickets' song helps lull him into a state of peace only nicotine used to be able to provide.**

 **Tsu finally wanders home and flops down in a heap of damp black and white fur. She rests her chin upon his feet and stares up at him with those dark eyes that see everything. She sighs, and the sound is full of as much disappointment a dog like her can manage.**

 **He laughs and reaches out a hand to scratch fondly between her ears then stands and waits for her to stretch and follow. She always does. He holds the door open for them both. "Maybe next time, Girl. Maybe next time."**

* * *

 **xxx**

* * *

 **So. Hit me with those questions. I'll answer what I can at this particular moment. The rest will just have to wait, hahaha, because we're still in the process of unpeeling this onion.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Feedback keeps me going.**


	6. 5

**Counting Stars**

* * *

 **xx5xx**

* * *

 _"Card's lookin' good. M'sure Mrs. Irma's gonna love it."_

 _"Think so?"_

 _"Know so. Feelin' better?"_

 _"Uh huh."_

 _"Where'd Squirrel get off to?"_

 _"Dunno."_

 _"See now. That grin tells me different. Where's Tara?"_

 _"Sleepin', I guess."_

 _"Nose itching, Baby Girl?"_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"'Cause it's startin' to grow. You lookin' mighty suspicious-like."_

 _"Am not."_

 _"Nose keeps growin' like that those pretty little jaybirds I saw this mornin' might get the wrong idea."_

 _"Speaking of jaybirds…"_

 _"Found 'em. They's right there. See?"_

 _"Me and you gonna have us a little talk later."_

 _"Aww."_

 _"Don't_ aww _me. Know better than to let 'im out of your sight. What would you have done if Tara hadn't been 'round? Think 'bout_ that _."_

 _"M'sorry."_

 _"Oughta be. Thanks, Tara. Gonna hafta start lockin' them doors."_

 _"It won't stop him."_

 _"Might not stop him. But it'll slow him down long 'nough."_

 _"He's fine. Just a little wet."_

 _"Little? Try a lot. Muddy, too. Son, where's your clothes?"_

 _"I'll go run a hot bath."_

 _"Not for him. Know you got plans with Glenn and Maggie."_

 _"You sure?"_

 _"Sure. Sink over there will do just fine. Right, Squirrel?"_

 _"But Mama said he's gettin' too big for the sink."_

 _"Good thing I didn't ask your 'pinion, Baby Girl."_

 _"Said I was sorry."_

 _"Know_ that _. Know you ain't gonna learn nothing if I keep goin' easy on you neither."_

 _"But…"_

 _"What I say 'bout that?"_

 _"Yes, Sir."_

 _"'Sides. Ain't too big yet. Even if he_ is _a l'il bit too big for his britches."_

 _"What's britches?"_

 _"Pants and I have_ no _idea where they went. Sorry. I looked everywhere."_

 _"S'alright. They'll turn up. Least they better."_

 _"Hear that, Squirrel? You're gonna be in trouble."_

 _"No."_

 _"Uh huh."_

 _"No, no, no, NO."_

 _"And this? Is where I leave you. You sure you'll survive the day without me?"_

 _"Gonna manage just fine."_

 _"I've heard that one before. You'd be lost without me and you know it. Wait until Mrs. D gets back. I have so much…"_

 _"Best not finish that thought."_

 _"Don't worry. I know what's good for me. Call me if you need me."_

 _"Won't."_

 _"If you say so. Bye, Jaybird. Bye, Gracie."_

 _"Bye, Tara."_

 _"Both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. Expectin' more rain."_

 _"What time's my curfew?"_

 _"You ain't got no…go on with you."_

 _"C'mon. You know I couldn't resist."_

 _"Just be careful. Alright?"_

 _"Always, Mr. D. Hasta luego."_

 _"Hasta eggo, Tara. Daddy, what's a curfew?"_

 _"Got a few years 'fore you have to be worryin' 'bout that, Baby Girl."_

 _"S'it a 'sation for another time?"_

 _"Somethin' like that. Why don't you go get me a towel? Keep us from makin' an even bigger mess in here and I'll tell you some more of the story. Gonna be scrubbin' a while, tryin' to get all this mud off. Deal?"_

 _"Deal."_

* * *

 **He wakes up with that same smile on his face and keeps it there for most of the morning. It's a nice day. Bright and sunny and clear, it's still hot but lacks the oppressive humidity that usually makes summers in Georgia near-unbearable and he's thankful for that. He's got a date with a lawnmower and not just around these parts; he and Mrs. McLeod have a long-term understanding, after all.**

* * *

 _"What's a date?"_

 _"Somethin' you ain't gonna do 'til you're 30."_

 _"Why?"_

 _"Just ain't."_

 _"But I don't understand."_

 _"Still too little."_

 _"Good. It don't sound fun. 'Specially not with a lawnmower."_

 _"Ain't. S'hot. And sweaty._ Dirty _. Gonna need more soap. More towels, too. Swear. Bathin' Tsu was easier."_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"Stay still, Son. Sink ain't big 'nough to swim in."_

 _"Daddy?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"You know George?"_

 _"What you mean?"_

 _"You said it was easier giving Tsu a bath."_

 _"Did I?"_

 _"Uh huh."_

 _"Just meant I figured it would be. Seein' how she listens better than your brother and all."_

 _"Uncle Merle says you didn't listen for shit when you was little."_

 _"Don't use that word. Your mama'd skin my hide."_

 _"What word?"_

 _"Sounds like me and Uncle Merle are due for a talk. Don't think that means you off the hook."_

 _"I ain't no fish."_

 _"Naw. You ain't."_

 _"Squirrel thinks he is, though."_

 _"Does. Hand me that towel. We'll clean this up later."_

 _"Rainin' outside anyway."_

 _"Best not let your mama hear you say somethin' like that."_

 _"But it is."_

 _"Still."_

 _"Can we skip George's date?"_

 _"Don't have to."_

 _"What you mean?"_

 _"George skipped it himself."_

* * *

 **The lawnmower doesn't crank, downright refuses to no matter how much he tinkers with it. He's still trying to muster up some disappointment about that when a shadow looms over him, a suspiciously familiar shadow. The wry drawl that reaches his ears a second later only confirms it, and he looks up to meet Rick Grimes's pale gaze, shakes his head.**

 **"Guess it's a sign."**

* * *

 _"Hey! Wait a minute."_

 _"What's on your mind, Baby Girl?"_

 _"Nothin'."_

 _"Can tell it's somethin'. Know you. See the wheels turnin' in that pretty l'il blonde head of yours. Out with it."_

 _"The man in the story has the same name as Carl's daddy."_

 _"So? Don't mean he's the same person."_

 _"He ain't?"_

 _"You think he is?"_

 _"Dunno."_

 _"There's a Carl in this story, too, 'member?"_

 _"There_ is _."_

 _"And he's havin' a birthday party."_

 _"Well."_

 _"Well, what?"_

 _"Me and Squirrel want to hear more of the story. Don't we?"_

 _"No!"_

 _"So sure 'bout that?"_

 _"Yeah. Know why?"_

 _"Why's that?"_

 _"Mama says that's Squirrel's favorite word."_

 _"_ Is _."_

 _"Says it's his answer for everything. Watch. Want one of my cookies, Bubby?"_

 _"No!"_

 _"Ain't wrong but now you hafta share."_

 _"S'alright."_

 _"Don't give 'im the whole thing. Just half."_

 _"Okay."_

 _"S'rainin' cats and dogs out there."_

 _"Ain't no real thing."_

 _"How you think we got Gabby, huh?"_

 _"You's lyin'."_

 _"What if I ain't?"_

 _"Silly Daddy."_

 _"Who you callin'_ silly _?"_

 _"The story? Please?"_

 _"If you insist."_

* * *

 **They follow Tsu's example and find shelter from the beaming sun beneath the nearest tree, a tall Oak whose gnarled old branches stretch far and wide. Beneath its green canopy, he studies his neighbor and unlikely friend, takes his measure. Finally, with the barest of smiles curling at the corner of his mouth, he decides to confront the issue head on. "Usin' your kid to play matchmaker now?"**

 **Far from denying it, Grimes just grins, rubs his fingers over his smooth chin. "Lori's idea. Not mine."**

 **"Figured." He picks absently at a loose thread on his jeans until Tsu nuzzles her way beneath his restless fingers. "Don't see why your wife feels the need to meddle in other people's affairs."**

 **"In her defense, Mrs. McLeod might have given her the idea. Bob, too," Grimes reveals.**

 **"Sure neither one of 'em needed much arm-twistin'," he responds gruffly. His thumb finds its way to his mouth but he just rubs it across the seam as they lapse into silence and watch the lazy Saturday traffic. It's not much, especially considering the fact that the Monroes and Andersons have teamed up for a joint morning yard sale, but it's distraction enough. Eventually, though, his mind circles back to something the old woman had told him just the day before, something that's been bothering him ever since. "Know she's divorced?"**

 **Grimes nods. "Not amicably either from what Lori said."**

 **He's not one for talking like this normally, usually does his best to mind his own business, but something about this situation is different and truth be told, he has an inkling why. He just isn't ready to admit it out loud yet. "Been fightin' for her little girl ever since, too, 'til lately when her ex just wiped his hands of her completely." It was probably for the best, taking into account the other ugly rumors Mrs. McLeod had given voice to in his company, but still. "Who does that, Man? Know I couldn't." He looks over when he feels the clasp of Grimes's hand on his shoulder. It's brief but warm.**

 **"That's what makes you a better man than most."**

 **"Thanks," he mutters and follows his friend's example, climbing to his feet.**

 **Tsu whines at the loss of her human pillow but doesn't otherwise make a move. She's too busy lazing in the shade, still recovering from her late night.**

 **The sight makes Grimes chuckle. "You coming?"**

 **"To the party?" He pulls a hand through his sweaty hair and shakes his head. "Don't know, Man."**

 **Grimes glances to the broken-down lawnmower then back to him. "What else you got to do?"**

* * *

 _"No!"_

 _"Shh. Not so loud, Baby Girl. Squirrel's sleepin'."_

 _"No."_

 _"What you mean_ no _?"_

 _"Can't stop there, Daddy."_

 _"And why not?"_

 _"We was just gettin' to the good part."_

 _"Makes you think that?"_

 _"Just know."_

 _"Got a sixth sense that way? Your mama does."_

 _"Six sense?"_

 _"One more than the regular ones: seein', touchin', tastin', hearin', and smellin'. Called intuition."_

 _"What's 'tuition?"_

 _"Tuition's somethin' I'm hopin' you ain't gonna have to worry 'bout. Intuition, well. It's knowin' somethin' without knowin' why."_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"Like your mama knew you was gonna be a girl. Way 'fore the doctors ever said so. And Squirrel."_

 _"Mama knew he was a boy?"_

 _"She_ did _."_

 _"I got 'tuition, too."_

 _"You do?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"How so?"_

 _"Know George is gonna go to the party."_

 _"Gonna hafta wait to find out, Baby Girl, 'til I get your baby brother tucked in for his nap."_

 _"Okay."_

 _"Don't think I heard you right."_

 _"Daddy."_

 _"Just teasin'. When I get back, we'll put on some soup for supper. Ain't too hot with all the rain. Then you and me are gonna get to the good part."_

 _"For real?"_

 _"For real."_

* * *

 _..._

* * *

 **Hope it's not too confusing, my having added a couple of new voices to the dialogue. I did my best to make each distinctive and separate but let me know if they're not and I'll work on that some more next chapter.**

 **Thanks so much for reading and keep that feedback coming if you're enjoying this story in any way, shape, or form because it keeps me going.**


End file.
